Spring cushion structure



May 17, 1938. T. D. STEWART 2,117,748

SPRING CUSHION STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 1a, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 735017052 [2 575M075? ATTORNEYS May 17, 1938. I D STEWART2,117,748

SPRING CUSHION STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M INVENTOR. THEUDUEE 17. 521E WflHT Patented May 17, 1938 UNiTED STATESPATENT OFFIQE SPRING CUSHION STRUCTURE troit, Mich.

Application September 18, 1936, Serial No. 101,379

15 Claims.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a spring cushion structure in which the springassembly may be assembled as a unit and the upholstery quickly andrapidly applied thereto.

Second, to provide a structure of the class or type described whichrenders it possible to upholster a cushion Without the employment ofskilled labor.

Third, to provide a structure of this type which is very economical inits parts and at the same time strong and rigid.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary View partially in vertical section on a linecorresponding to line l--l of Fig. 2.

2 is a fragmentary view in horizontal sec ticn on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom perspective of one of the border frameelements of my spring structure.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form orembodiment of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating the manner in which upholsteryis secured in the modified form or embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating the relation of thespring supports and the springs to the border frame, certain of thesprings being indicated by dotted lines only and other springs beingconventionally shown.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view further illustrating the frameand spring supporting features of the invention.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, numeral l designatesgenerally the border frame which comprises opposed side members 2, 2,and end members 3, 3, joined together to form a continuous framestructure. These border frame members are formed of sheet metalthat is,metal of uniform thickness and are of elongated s-shape in crosssection, the outer edges of the strips from which the members are formedbeing turned upwardly and inwardly to provide an inwardly facing springsecuring channel 4 and their inner edges being turned downwardly andoutwardly to provide outwardly facing upholstery securing channels 5,the web portions 6 between the channels being of substantially greaterwidth than the combined width of the two channel flanges l and 8providing a substantial ledgelike surface to which the cross members 9may be secured as by spot welding indicated at Hi, there being anexposed flat portion of the web lying between the channels to permit theeffective welding operations.

The spring supporting grid consisting of the longitudinal wires H andthe transverse wires l2 are arranged upon the cross bars with the endsof the grid wires lapping upon and welded to the border frame webs atI3. These ledges or webs also provide an efiective surface to which theplate-like corner irons M are secured by welds indicated at E5.

The cross sectional shape of the border frame and the cross members andgrid members welded thereto form an exceedingly rigid frame even whenformed of quite light gauge stock.

The body springs it are arranged upon and secured to the supports as bymeans of clips I! and their outer springs are lapped upon the borderframes and secured thereto by clamping the inwardly facing flange l ofthe spring securing channel thereon as indicated at l8.

Upholstery securing tongues or prongs H! are struck downwardly from thewebs 6 with their ends lying in opposed relation to the upholsterysecuring channel 5 above and preferably quite close to the flange 8 ofthe upholstery securing channel.

The upholstery 20 is provided with a skirt portion 2| which is wrappedaround the border frame as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5 and providedwith a beaded edge 22 which is forced into the channel 5 with the beadlying at the rear of the tongues l9. The tongues and the upholstery andbeading material will yield sufficiently so that the upholstery may bepushed into the channel but it is effectively retained therein by thetongues coacting with the channel.

The flange 8 of the upholstery securing channel may be clamped upon thechannel as an additional securing means but that is not essential toeffectively secure the upholstery when the tongues are employed.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the tonguesare omitted and the flange 8 clamped upon the bead or upholstery asshown at 23, Fig. 5. While this provides an effective securing means forthe upholstery it necessitates the use of an air hammer or pliers or thelike and is not as expeditious as when the tongues are present. In bothembodiments, however, the structure is very rigid and avoids thenecessity of tacking strips and upholstery securing means other than therim itself.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment whichI have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate ordescribe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed that thisdisclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt myimprovements as may be desired. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a spring cushion structure, the combination of a border framecomprising fixedly connected side and end members, said frame membersbeing of elongated S-section disposed horizontally and providingrelatively wide fiat web portions, an upper inwardly facing springsupporting channel at the outer edge of the web and a lower outwardlyfacing upholstery securing channel at the inner edge of the web, thewebs having downwardly and inwardly directed tongues struck therefromand disposed with their tips in opposed relation to the flange of theupholstery securing channel, cross bars extending between said sidemembers arranged upon and welded to the webs thereof, a springsupporting wire grid disposed upon said cross member with the ends ofthe grid wires lapped upon and welded to said webs, a plurality ofcoiled body springs on said grid, the bottom coils of certain of saidbody springs being clamped within the inwardly facing spring supportingchannel, and an upholstery covering for said springs having a dependingskirt provided with a beaded edge disposed within said upholsterysecuring channel with said tongues in retaining engagement therewith.

2. In a spring cushion structure, the combination of a border framecomprising fixedly connected side and end members, said frame membersbeing of elongated S-section disposed horizontally and providingrelatively wide flat web portions, an upper inwardly facing springsupporting channel at the outer edge of the web and a lower outwardlyfacing upholstery securing channel at the inner edge of the web, thewebs having downwardly and inwardly directed tongues struck therefromand disposed with their tips in opposed relation to the flange of theupholstery securing channel, a spring supporting wire grid disposed withthe ends of the grid wires lapped upon and welded to said webs, aplurality of coiled body springs on said grid, the bottom coils ofcertain of said body springs being clamped within the inwardly facingspring supporting channel, and an upholstery covering for said springshaving a depending skirt provided with a beaded edge disposed withinsaid upholstery securing channel with said tongues in retainingengagement therewith.

3. In a spring cushion structure, the combination of a border framecomprising fixedly Connected side and end members, said frame membersbeing of elongated S-section disposed horizontally and providingrelatively wide flat web portions, an upper inwardly facing springsupporting channel at the outer edgeof the web and a lower outwardlyfacing upholstery securing channel at the inner edge of the web, thewebs having downwardly and inwardly directed tongues struck therefromand disposed with their tips in opposed relation to the flange of the upholstery securing channel, a spring support lapped upon and welded tosaid webs, a plurality of coiled body springs on said support, thebottom coils of certain of said body springs being clamped within theinwardly facing spring supporting channel, and an upholstery coveringfor said springs having a depending skirt provided with a beaded edgedisposed within said upholstery securing channel with said tongues inretaining engagement therewith.

4. In a spring cushion structure, the combination of a border framecomprising fixedly connected side and end members, said frame membersbeing of elongated S-section disposed horizontally and providingrelatively wide flat web portions, an upper inwardly facing springsupporting channel at the outer edge of the web and a. lower outwardlyfacing upholstery securing channel at the inner edge of the web, bothsaid channels being substantially shallower than the web is wide, crossbars extending between said side members arranged upon and welded to thewebs thereof,-a spring supporting wire grid disposed upon said crossmembers with the ends of the grid wires lapped upon and secured to saidwebs, a plurality of coiled body springs, the bottom coils of certain ofsaid body springs being clamped within the inwardly facing springsupporting channel, and an upholstery covering for said springs having adepending skirt disposed with its edge secured within said upholsterysecuring channel.

5. In a spring cushion structure, the combination of a border framecomprising fixedly connected side and end members, said frame membersbeing of elongated S-section disposed horizontally and providingrelatively wide fiat web portions, an upper inwardly facing springsupporting channel at the outer edge of the web and a lower outwardlyfacing upholstery securing channel at the inner edge of the web, bothsaid channels being substantially shallower than the webis wide, aspring supporting wire grid disposed with the ends of the grid wireslapped upon and secured to said webs, a plurality of coiled bodysprings, the bottom coils of certain of said body springs being clampedwithin the inwardly facing spring supporting channel, and an upholsterycovering for said springs having a depending skirt disposed with itsedge secured within said upholstery securing channel.

6. In a spring cushion structure, the combination of a border framecomprising fixedly connected side and end members, said frame membersbeing of elongated S-section disposed horizontally and providingrelatively wide flat web portions, an upper inwardly facing springsupporting channel at the outer edge of the web and a lower outwardlyfacing upholstery securing channel at the inner edge of the web, saidframe members having spring tongues struck therefrom adjacent saidupholstery securing channel and restricting the opening therein, aplurality of coiled body springs, the bottom coils of certain of saidbody springs being clamp-ed within the inwardly facing spring supportingchannel, and an upholstery covering for said springs having a dependingskirt disposed with its edge in said upholstery securing channel andheld therein by said spring tongues.

'7. A spring cushion structure comprising a border frame member ofelongated S-section disposed horizontally and providing a relativelywide flat web portion, an upper inwardly facing spring supportingchannel at the outer edge of the web and a lower outwardly facingupholstery securing channel at the inner edge of the web, the web havingdownwardly and inwardly directed tongues struck therefrom and disposedwith their tips in opposed relation to the flange of the upholsterysecuring channel, a spring support disposed upon and welded to said web,coiled body springs arranged on said support, the bottom coils ofcertain of said body springs being clamped within the inwardly facingspring supporting channel, and an upholstery covering for said springshaving a depending skirt provided with a beaded edge disposed withinsaid upholstery securing channel with said tongues in retainingengagement therewith.

8. A spring cushion structure comprising a border frame member ofelongated S-section disposed horizontally and providing a relativelywide flat web portion, an upper inwardly facing spring supportingchannel at the outer edge of the web and a lower outwardly facingupholstery securing channel at the inner edge of the web, said framemember having spring tongues struck therefrom adjacent said upholsterysecuring channel and restricting the opening therein, a spring supportdisposed upon and welded to said web, coiled body springs arranged onsaid support, the bottom coils of certain of said body springs beingclamped within the inwardly facing spring supporting channel, and anupholstery covering for said springs having a depending skirt with itsedge secured within said upholstery securing channel.

9. A border frame for spring structures comprising a sheet metal stripof substantial width having one longitudinal edge turned upwardly andinwardly to provide a spring securing channel and the other longitudinaledge turned downwardly and outwardly to provide an outwardly facingupholstery securing channel,.the web of said strip being substantiallywider than the combined width of the channel flanges and having tonguesstruck downwardly therefrom with their tips in opposed relation to theflange of the upholstery securing channel and adapted to co acttherewith to retain the edge of an upholstery skirt engaged within thechannel.

10. A border frame for spring structures comprising a sheet metal stripof substantial width having one longitudinal edge turned upwardly andinwardly to provide a spring securing channel and the other longitudinaledge turned downwardly and outwardly to provide an outwardly facingupholstery securing channel, the web of said strip having tongues struckdownwardly therefrom with their tips in opposed relation to theupholstery securing channel and adapted to coact therewith to retain theedge of an upholstery skirt engaged within the channel.

11. A sheet metal border frame for a spring cushion structure havingupholstery draped thereover comprising strips of S-cross section secured at their ends-to one another, said strips having an integral upperspring coil receiving channel facing inwardly of the frame, an inte grallower upholstery securing channel facing outwardly of the frame, and anelongated ledge integrally joined to said channels and lying in theplane of the frame, said ledge having resilient tongues puncheddownwardly therefrom, said tongues restricting the opening in said lastnamed channel, yielding to permit insertion of the upholstery in thechannel, and securing the upholstery therein after insertion.

12. A border frame for a spring cushion structure comprising a strip ofS-cross section having an integral upper spring coil receiving channelfacing inwardly of the frame, an integral lower upholstery securingchannel facing outwardly of the frame, and an elongated ledge integrallyjoined to said channels, said ledge having spaced prongs puncheddownwardly therefrom cooperative with said last named channel to secureupholstery therein, said prongs normally decreasing the opening in thechannel at the points where they are located.

13. A sheet metal border frame for cushion structures comprising stripssecured at their ends to one another to form a rectangular outline, saidstrips being provided with a spring coil receiving channel, a secondupholstery receiving channel, and an elongated ledge connected to saidchannels and lying in the plane of the frame, said ledge havingprojections thereon cooperative with said last named channel bydecreasing the effective opening thereof to secure upholstery therein,said upholstery receiving channel being deformable to clamp upholsterytherein.

14. A sheet metal border frame for cushion structures comprising stripssecured at their ends to one another to form a rectangular outline, saidstrips being provided with a spring coil receiving channel, a 'secondupholstery receiving channel, and an elongated ledge connected to saidchannels and lying in the plane of the frame, said upholstery receivingchannel being deformable to clamp upholstery therein, said channelslying above and below the plane of the ledge and being substantiallyshallower than the ledge is wide.

15. A sheet metal border frame for cushion structures comprising stripssecured at their ends to one another to form a rectangular outline, saidstrips being provided with a spring coil receiving channel, a secondupholstery receiving channel, and an elongated ledge connected to saidchannels and lying in the plane of the frame, said channels lying aboveand below the plane of the ledge and being substantially shallower thanthe ledge is wide.

THEODORE D. STEWART.

